Worry for Rusedski

By Mark Hodgkinson

12:01AM GMT 11 Feb 2005

Just minutes before he was scheduled to play in Marseilles yesterday, Greg Rusedski withdrew from his second-round match, complaining of serious discomfort in his ribcage. There is never any shortage of drama with Rusedski, who can often seem like the unluckiest man in tennis, bumping from one medical mini-crisis to another.

Those close to Rusedski were unclear last night exactly how serious the injury is, and the news would patently have caused a little disquiet in the offices of the Lawn Tennis Association. It was only a few days ago that he ended speculation about his retirement from the Davis Cup, committing to the tie against Israel, which starts three weeks from today.

The injury to his left side was described as "a blocked rib", and is a recurrence of the complaint that forced him to withdraw from Milan last week. Rusedski had thought that four days of rest and physiotherapy had allowed him a full recovery, but he has somehow aggravated the rib and will probably need more intensive treatment.

Although Rusedski, 31, was said to be feeling "positive", he was also concerned that he might "tear or rip something" in his ribcage. It is to be hoped that his body remains in reasonable condition for the tie in Tel Aviv, and that he arrives in some form and with a bit of self-belief, not in a corset and with a few doubts in his mind. Without Tim Henman, he is the team's figurehead.

Rusedski, who had been due to play French qualifier Sebastien de Chaunac, will be desperate for some time on court. He is entered for the indoor tournament in Rotterdam next week and then the event in Dubai the week after. That should be better preparation for the weather conditions expected in Israel.

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One of the recurring themes of this season is likely to be the creaks of complaint from his body, and also from Henman's. But at least Henman's injury news was good. He has made a decent recovery from the wear-and-tear injury to his back, a condition that forced him out of Marseilles,

Henman has confirmed that he will play in Rotterdam, and has added Dubai to his schedule. He wants to move on after the disappointment of the Australian Open, but his decision to withdraw from the demands of the Davis Cup, after years of service, is looking increasingly like a clever one.